


wait did you just flirt with me?

by rinthegreat



Series: Texts From Last Night [4]
Category: Free!
Genre: Humor, M/M, minimal tags to prevent spoilers - read the previous works in the series first, the saga continues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 03:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13941597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinthegreat/pseuds/rinthegreat
Summary: Makoto and Rin arrive at Sousuke's apartment so they can hang out with everyone who wants to see Rin.





	wait did you just flirt with me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IngridBeast](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IngridBeast/gifts).



> i am floored by the response to this series. you guys are 105% the best ever. i love you. <3
> 
> this is a request from [ingridbeast](https://twitter.com/Ingridbeast) on Twitter. Thank you for continuing the series! :)

Hanging out with the others is an absolute disaster.

Makoto’s been too busy stressing over seeing Rin, getting his work done so he doesn’t feel guilty seeing Rin, and not acting weird when he actually sees Rin to have planned anything. Sousuke can’t find his way home on a good day, so he has no idea what is ‘nearby’. And Haru is completely unhelpful.

So the result is that Makoto and Rin find most of the group already at Sousuke’s apartment, arguing over what to do.

“I think we should go to Puroland,” Momo is insisting as Sousuke opens the door and lets Makoto and Rin inside.

“You’re the only one who likes that place, Momo-kun!” Nitori shouts in response.

The older Mikoshiba is laughing behind them, and Haru shoots a poisonous glare at them from where he’s sitting on Sousuke’s couch.

“Quickly,” Sousuke grunts. “Before they notice.”

He ushers Makoto and Rin back into his bedroom, where Rin drops his bag. He rolls his shoulder a few times, lifting the hem of his shirt up just high enough that Makoto can see a sliver of skin.

Sousuke clears his throat.

“Uh…so did you guys come up with anything to do?” Makoto asks stupidly, throat painfully dry.

Sousuke gives him a flat glare. “Do you think they’d still be out there arguing if I had?”

“Cut him some slack, Sou,” Rin steps in, patting Sousuke on his shoulder. “He didn’t have to put up with those idiots for a year.”

Makoto feels heat rise to his cheeks at the fact that Rin had stood up for him. “What about Mikoshiba? He’s been here for a year longer than us,” he suggests.

“No,” Rin replies forcefully. “He is _absolutely_ not allowed to decide what to do.”

There’s a story behind that somewhere, but before Makoto can ask, the door opens, and Haru pops his head inside. “Rei, Nagisa, and Kou are back,” he announces. “Stop hiding and say hello.”

“Hey Haru,” Rin greets. “So nice to see you too.”

Haru glances at Makoto before looking Rin up and down slowly. “You have more muscles,” he says eventually. “But I’ll still beat you.” With that, he disappears out the door, knowing full well that Rin is going to follow him.

Sure enough: “Is that a challenge, Haru?” Rin shouts, rushing out after him. “Don’t ignore me!”

And then Makoto is alone in the room with Sousuke. It’s silent for a long moment, and Makoto almost leaves until Sousuke finally speaks.

“If you make a move, I don’t want to be around,” he informs Makoto. “I’ll die from secondhand embarrassment.” Then he just walks out without giving Makoto a chance to respond.

In the end, they end up in Akihabara.

The problem, of course, is that they hadn’t taken into account that there are ten of them. No prior arrangements were made, and no one can decide on anything. So instead they meander up and down the streets while everyone tries desperately to be the one next to Rin.

Well, by everyone, Makoto really means Momo. The kid has stars in his eyes every time Rin talks and has a tendency to shove everyone out of the way just so he can cling to Rin’s arm. It’s silly, Makoto knows, to be jealous of someone suffering from extremely obvious hero worship, but that doesn’t stop him from staring at Momo’s arm where it wraps around Rin’s.

“You’re glaring,” Haru tells him, and Makoto jerks out of his reverie.

He and Haru have fallen behind everyone else. Nagisa is in the front, of course, pulling Rei along with enthusiasm. Nitori seems to be chattering Sousuke’s ear off about something. Mikoshiba, with stars in his eyes that mirror his brother’s continues saying things to ‘Gou-kun’ that are only drowned out by Rin’s growls of irritation.

“They’re only here for the weekend,” Haru reminds him. “Rin’s here till Friday.”

Makoto sighs. “I know.” Even that’s too short of a time when his moments with Rin are reduced to a few seconds here and there. Not for the first time, Makoto wishes Rin weren’t so drawn to Australia.

“They have magikarp taiyaki!” Nagisa shouts, rushing a small food stall. Momo detaches himself from Rin and chases Nagisa, and the two are followed by Rei and Nitori, who both look disappointed.

Haru gives him a look that clearly says _now’s your chance_ and speeds up, catching up with Sousuke. Makoto’s hands twitch nervously, but he _did_ get what he’d wanted, so he may as well take advantage of it now. He walks up alongside Rin, who doesn’t notice him as he’s too busy glaring daggers at the back of Mikoshiba’s head.

“Do you want any?” Makoto asks, and Rin jumps as if he hadn’t noticed Makoto fall into step next to him.

“Want any…?”

“Taiyaki.” Makoto nods to the stand where the others have started to line up. Even Sousuke and Haru are getting in line at this point.

“Oh. Nah, I don’t really like sweet things,” Rin replies.

Right, of course. Makoto knew that.

“Not that you can’t,” Rin tells him. “Don’t hold back on my account.”

Unlike Rin, Makoto has a weakness for sweet things. He’s better at controlling himself than Nagisa, but he loves taiyaki. The smell of it wafts over, and he wants nothing more than a green tea flavored one.

“I could do without,” he replies. “I’ll wait with you.”

Makoto watches the rest of their group is still in line. Nagisa is the only one to have his taiyaki so far, a giant one with strawberries sticking out of it. Gou has detached herself from Mikoshiba and is berating Nagisa and Rei in turn for eating food not on her training menu, while Nitori seems to have turned his questioning from Sousuke to Mikoshiba.

“I’m glad you came with us,” Rin says, and Makoto turns to look at him. Rin is watching the group, but when Makoto doesn’t respond, he turns his head and makes eye contact. “What?”

Makoto shakes his head. “Nothing. You surprised me.”

“Because I like hanging out with you? Of course I do. We’re friends.”

“Friends,” Makoto repeats, testing the word. He likes it well enough, but it doesn’t fully convey what he wants from Rin.

“Course,” Rin replies easily. “I was serious about the coffee you know.”

Makoto smiles. “There’s a Starbucks near Sousuke’s apartment.”

“I’d ask Sousuke to show me to it, but he probably has no idea that it exists,” Rin laughs. Makoto tries to hold back a snort and fails. “I was actually hoping there’d be a place where we can sit down. I’d like to treat you to a nice café.”

He can’t help the flush that creeps up his neck. “Um…” he struggles, looking down so he doesn’t have to see Rin’s face. “There’s a place near campus my classmates have talked about, but…”

“But?”

“It’s more of a,” Makoto’s entire face flames, “date spot.” He’s going to melt into a puddle of embarrassment any moment now. Rin can probably see how badly Makoto wants to date him just based on the fact that his face is now the same color as Rin’s hair.

“Sounds good,” Rin says. “Let’s do that.”

Makoto must’ve missed something while he was having a mental crisis. “Do what?”

“Go on a date.”

Makoto’s head shoots up, but Rin isn’t looking at him either. He’s staring determinedly towards where Haru is taking his first bite of taiyaki. Makoto can’t be bothered to see Haru’s reaction, though, because he’s too focused on Rin. “What did you say?”

“Let’s go on a date to that café,” Rin repeats.

“With me?”

Finally, Rin looks back at him. Their faces match. “Who else would I be asking?”

Makoto’s mouth opens and closes like a gaping fish. “Wait,” he breathes, “did you just flirt with me?”

“I have been for the past year but thanks for noticing.”

“What?” he squeaks, voice raising to a pitch he didn’t think was possible. “A year?”

“Well, not exactly. I thought you weren’t interested.”

Makoto feels light-headed. “What?” he asks again. This is clearly a dream. A very insanely realistic dream, and any second now he’s going to wake up on the floor of Sousuke’s apartment, and it will be April 13th again.

“Makoto, are you okay?” Rin asks, leaning in.

“Makoto,” Haru’s voice interrupts. He pushes Rin to the side and offers up his taiyaki. Half the tail is missing, and Haru has a look of disgust on his face. “I don’t want this, eat the rest.”

The distraction is enough to help Makoto ground himself. He wraps his fingers around the magikarp shaped waffle, still feeling a little faint. “Why did you get it then?” he asks thickly.

“Sousuke got it. He said it was mackerel flavored.” Haru’s voice is thick with betrayal, and when Makoto looks over at Sousuke, the man in question is shaking with barely contained mirth.

“Oh my god,” Rin declares, face a lighter pink shade than before. “I’ll talk to him.” He looks over at Makoto. “Let me know if you’re interested.”

Before Rin can walk away, Makoto bursts out, “I’m interested!” He swallows, telling himself to calm down. “I’m interested,” he repeats in a softer voice.

Rin breaks into a wide grin so bright it puts the sun to shame. “Good. I’ll set it up.”

Makoto stares after him as he walks over and starts lecturing a now openly laughing Sousuke. Haru sighs heavily next to him. “We’re going to race at least once a day,” Haru huffs. “Don’t wear him out.”

“Haru!”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://rinthegreat.tumblr.com/)   
>  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/rinthegreat_ao3)


End file.
